Category: Simplify

Last week I had the opportunity to appear on KSDK Channel 5 with Pat McGonigle to share tips on how to get out of the house on time in the morning with kids. I also shared tips on how to reduce the stress and cut the chaos in the morning.

As my children came into my life I wanted to document every single moment, convinced no other child before was like my wonderful little girls. I have a confession, I have hundreds of pictures and family videos now that no one ever looks at. Scan Digital can change that. They scan and digitize photos, slides, negatives and even home movies so you can preserve, share, and enjoy them forever. I have to admit that I was concerned about family memories being lost in the mail if I used their services. But after speaking with Matthew Stone, VP of Operations at… read more »

This is the year to get your home, office and life organized. I’ve listed 10 benefits of getting organized below to encourage you to get started now rather than later (or never). Reduced stress. More productive. Saves time. Saves money (buying things you already have but can’t find). Saves energy. Regain control of your home, office and life. Arrive on time. Improve your quality of life. Increased joy and peace. Creates space for new things to come in to your life.

Now that all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas has passed, take the time to prepare for next year’s Christmas by: Discarding or donating broken or unused Christmas items. Putting the finishing touches on your Christmas card list. Taking a picture of your outdoor holiday decor so you’ll be able to easily duplicate it next year. Stocking up on ONLY those things you’ll need for next year (tinsel, gift boxes, wrapping paper, etc) while they are on clearance now. Storing all Christmas items together in the same area with clearly labeled containers.

I am a huge fan of Rick Warren. His book, The Purpose Driven Life was a catalyst for me becoming a professional organizer. The book had a huge impact on my life and was a life changer for me. Following is one of his daily devotionals about Choosing A Simpler Life. I’ve bolded the last 2 paragraphs because they say it all. Enjoy! . . . a time to embrace and a time to refrain. Ecclesiastes 3:5 (NIV) “You are the only one who can assume responsibility for your time and clarify what’s really important to you.” You’d think that… read more »

Take the stress and guess work out of last minute meal preparations by setting your ingredients and recipes in the dish you plan to make it in. This helps you double check that you have all of the necessary ingredients, and that you have the appropriate number of dishes to prepare your meal with. Reduce daily stress by doing as much food preparation as you can in advance. For example, in the recipe shown with this post, you can crush the crackers and combine them with the almonds in a baggie ahead of time. Instead of waiting until the last minute… read more »

It’s not too early to begin preparing for the holidays. As a matter of fact, it’s a fantastic idea to get started now before the stress and rush of the holidays is upon us. Here are a few things you can do in advance to get a head start on things: Get copies made of this year’s Christmas picture if you will be including one in your Christmas cards. Buy, address, sign and stamp Christmas cards so all you’ll have to do later is drop them in the mail. Pull out Christmas decorations and determine if you need to purchase… read more »

Do you often miss sending a card on a special occasion? Do you buy cards with the intention of sending them, but then don’t? If this sounds like you, you’ll love Send Out Cards. I’m a huge fan of Send Out Cards so I want to take a moment to tell you about it. I think many of you may find this service to be a lifesaver. With Send Out Cards, you can send a printed handwritten greeting card with your message in less than 60 seconds. Simply choose your card, write your message and click send. Send Out Cards… read more »

Preparing for a move is the key to a successful, stress-free move. You can begin preparing months before you move by determining what items you know you won’t use before you move and packing those right away. Establish where your holding zone will be. A holding zone is an out of the way place where you can begin storing any boxes that you pack in advance. Be sure to mark each box with the room that the box should land in at the new home in big letters. In smaller letters, you can write a brief description of what’s in… read more »

After months of waiting you finally sold your house and are preparing to move. Here’s a quick check list to guide you through the process. Fill out a change of address with the post office. Contact utilities to schedule service terminations. Keep a list of who you talked to and the date you’ve schedule the services to end for reference. Be sure to provide them with your new mailing address. Begin packing room by room, keeping like items with like items. Label each box in big bold letters with the room that you want the box to land in at… read more »

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About the Author

Sue Anderson, a Professional Organizer, Virtual & Personal Assistant and Owner of Simplified Living Solutions, is an expert in the professional organizing field who specializes in clutter control, paper management, household management, administrative assistance and whole house transformations.

Experts You Can Trust

Since 2007, our professional organizers have helped people in and around St Louis, Missouri declutter and simplify their lives with our personal organizing and personal assistant services.

We understand how overwhelming, stressful and out of control life can feel when things are cluttered and disorganized. Whether you need a personal home organizer or office organization, we’re here to help you get back on track, and back in control, of your house, office, paper piles and life!